Who We Are
by nightmist379
Summary: Follow Rayla and Callum as they travel through Xadia to return the egg of the dragon prince. Watch their relationship grow from strangers to friends to more in this alternate story of TDP, starting the adventure at season 3! Full summary inside. Rated T for safe-'T'.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: **Following the assassination of King Harrow, the princes discover the egg of the dragon king. While Ezran takes rule of Katolis, Callum returns the egg back to its mother to end the centuries old war. When Callum enters Xadia mortally wounded, he is discovered by Rayla, a moonshadow elf assassin. Together, they travel the lands overcoming dangerous obstacles, learning that fighting for peace takes just as much strength as fighting in war.

**Author's Note: **This is a CallumxRayla story, showing how their relationship develops from strangers to friends to more, essentially starting from season 3 of TDP, not season 1. I'm not sure how far I'm going to take this yet, but there will at least be 5-6 chapters to start.

**Important to note!** In this story, Rayla and Runaan never assisted with the assassination, though it did still happen. While Callum went alone to return the egg to Xadia, Ezran stayed behind to rule over Katolis and keep Viren in check, as he is a sketchy SOB. Same as in TDP, Callum has already connected to the sky arcanum, met Lujane, and has been chased down by Claudia and Soren before entering Xadia.

Certain key points will be explained and clarified as the story progresses.

Thanks and enjoy! :)

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**Chapter 1.**

Leaves and branches whipped against Callum's body as he sprinted through the wild Xadian undergrowth. He zig-zagged his way through the forest blindly, trying desperately to lose the Sunfire elf who pursued him. Coming to a small clearing, Callum quickly looked around for his next escape route, making sure to keep running. He already made the mistake of stopping once, earning him two arrows in the back; one in his right shoulder blade and the other stuck clear through his right flank.

Initially, it hurt like hell, and he almost passed out a few times from seeing a foreign object protruding out of his gut, but the adrenaline kicked in and he ran, learning his lesson to _keep moving_. He did his best to ignore the way his fluttering cloak and jostling pack tugged on the arrows.

_Keep moving. Keep moving._

Callum was panting now, lungs and legs burning from exhaustion. Glancing over his shoulder he spotted the elf a few hundred feet away. Calculating the distance, Callum turned around abruptly and blasted a _fulminis_ spell at the elf with everything he had. The lightnings arc was the biggest he'd produced yet, and blinding white tendrils spread through the trees with their familiar _crack_.

Callum wanted to wait and see if his spell had hit its target, but the proliferating pain in his abdomen was telling him to hurry up and get going. He couldn't waste these precious seconds.

His pace drastically slowed after a few minutes, the adrenaline rapidly wearing off. He couldn't even step up or slide over logs and was barely holding himself upright when he stumbled. The panic and fear he felt moments ago were wiped from his memory, his mind now only telling him he needed to stop and rest. He didn't even care if that elf caught up to him. He couldn't possibly go any farther.

He found a thick tree trunk and leaned against it for support as he slid to the mossy ground. He dropped the pack, for once thankful it only had one strap and that it was around his good arm. He gingerly leaned against the trunk, eyes closed, heaving out short, pained breaths. He didn't dare move his injured shoulder. The fear of an even worse pain he was experiencing was enough to keep still.

After a few seconds—or minutes maybe, he couldn't tell—he cracked an eye open and peered down at the bloody arrow poking out of his clothes, poking out of _him_. God, it was disgusting. His hand hovered around it, too afraid to touch it.

_How the hell am I supposed to get this out? Should I…even pull it out? I don't want to bleed to death!_

Callum dropped his hand and rested his sweaty forehead against the cool, smooth tree bark. Though he was still warm, he was beginning to feel the heat leaving his hands and feet. The occasional shiver quickly developed into an uncontrollable tremble, presumably from shock, jostling the arrows embedded in him.

_I'm gonna die here._

It wasn't a question, but a fact. There was no way out of this. No tools to use, no smart plan, no one to call for help. He was going to die. If his wounds didn't kill him, infection would. If the elf found him, well…he'd be dead either way.

Ezran's childish face flashed in his mind and hot tears fell, staining Callum's dirty cheeks. His little brother…now a king, but still only a child. He would never get the chance to see him again. He would never know what happened to his older brother. Ez had already been through so much…_lost_ so much…

Callum glanced down at the egg, his vision blurry through the tears. Or maybe he was losing consciousness?

_And the egg…_What would happen to it? Surely, it would die here with him if he wasn't able to take care of it. Maybe if that elf _did_ find him, he could take it with him? That was Callum's original plan anyway, to ask the elves for help to transport the egg and cross Xadia.

_And look where that got you…_

Callum screwed his eyes shut as the throbbing pain in his side became unbearable. He wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

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"Wake up, human."

Callum's eyes fluttered open at the unknown voice. Did he pass out? A fresh wave of pain exploded in his body; _yep, arrows still there_. He tried lifting his heavy head off the tree to see the stranger, but couldn't even manage that. All his energy was spent.

"You're in pretty bad shape." They said, crouching down a few feet away from him. He tried to focus his eyes but couldn't make out much. White hair. Horns? His head felt heavy and light all at the same time. It was disorienting. He reached his hand out to grab his pack, pulling it closer to him protectively.

The stranger flinched at his movement and pointed a blade at his throat, but he didn't register the threat.

"I saw you fightin' with that Sunfire elf. Why are you in Xadia, human?" They asked sharply.

Callum remained silent, his mind struggling to find the right response. Maybe this person could help him? Or, at least the egg. He prepared the best abridged story his cloudy brain could think of.

"Name's Callum. Of Katolis. I'm trying to—to get the egg back home." He grimaced. Extending his arm, he pushed his pack toward the stranger, hoping they got the hint to look inside. "We thought it was destroyed, but—" he paused when a wave of dizziness washed over him. He tried to ignore it, closing his eyes while he continued. "Our high mage took it. It has to go back home—back to its mom. All we want is peace."

Some time went by in silence, and for a moment Callum wondered if the stranger took the egg and left him to die. Or maybe he passed out again? Cracking an eye open he saw the stranger still crouched before him, his pack in between them, and a blurry dragon egg poking out, shining bright.

Even if he died the egg had to live. Ez had to have the opportunity to grow up and rule beside Xadia in peace. Cool, welcoming tendrils of sleep pulled his mind further into a sinking darkness and he mumbled out his final plea.

"Take it home…we jus' want peace." His words sounded muffled to his ears, like he was speaking underwater. Even the pounding of his heart, which was roaring in his ears earlier, couldn't be heard now.

He was fading. This was it.

_I'm sorry, Ez._


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors note:** Here ya go! This chapter is a little longer than the first, and I anticipate future chapters to be similar lengths like this one. Apologies if there are typos or misspellings in this one. I tried my best.

Enjoy!

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**Chapter 2.**

Carrying a limp human the size of herself was a lot harder than Rayla originally thought it would be. His stupid human legs kept getting snagged on every little fallen log as she dragged his upright form through the forest. She was sticky with sweat and blood that wasn't hers, and the smelly boy weighed her down greatly. But for the welfare of the precious egg nestled in the pack, she couldn't leave him behind.

She had too many questions to ask him before he could die.

Rayla let out a sigh of relief when she finally reached the hidden barrier around her village, and quickly decided on taking the scenic route to her second home. Best not to raise any awareness that there was a human among them, and brought in by _her_ no less. Saving this human went against everything she stood for as an elven assassin. She could already hear Runaan's lethal, disapproving tone if he were to find out what she was doing.

Good thing he was on a mission at the Border for the next 2 weeks. What he didn't know didn't hurt him, right?

Barreling through the back entrance of the house, she set the human down on the stone floor, holding him up by his shoulders. "Ethari!" She shouted. "Ethari! Come quick!"

The soft, hurried patter of feet quickly halted and Rayla glanced up to see her guardian staring at her in complete and utter shock. "Rayla—who is this? What's goin' on?" He asked.

"He was shot by a Sunfire elf." She started, quickly shrugging off the pack on her shoulder. "He came from the human lands to return this. He said their mage stole it." She peeled the pack open, revealing the egg of the Dragon King. It shined bright, glowing with a vibrance she had never seen the likes of before. She imagined Ethari's bewildered expression was much like hers when she first saw it half an hour ago.

"And that's not all—I watched this human shoot lightning from his hand. No primal stone or storm in sight. It wasn't dark magic either! He's a _mage_, Ethari. And if what he said is true, then…he carried the egg back into Xadia."

Ethari kneeled down in front of them, gently placing his hand on the egg's smooth, warm shell. A soft, hopeful smile graced his face when he felt the tiniest of movements inside.

"Ethari, we have to help him—keep him alive at least. See what he knows about the egg." Rayla pleaded.

His apprehension was obvious as he scanned the injured human from his pale, sweaty face to the arrow in his abdomen. Would he even survive? He was just a kid, no older than Rayla by the looks of it. Glancing down at the egg once again, however, Ethari found compassion overruling his worries.

"Alright. Help me take 'em to the couch."

The two worked quickly moving the human to the larger living space, giving them more room to work. Rayla set the egg down gently in a chair opposite the couch before turning her attention to Ethari.

"Go get the Healer. I'm not sure even _she_ can save him, but we'll try."

"Right." She nodded, turning on her heal to leave.

Ethari carefully propped the boy upright, trying to see what he could do in the meantime. He couldn't see much through his blood soaked clothes, and decided to start there. Grabbing a knife, he gingerly cut through the fabric of his cloak, jacket and shirt. It took a few minutes, but he managed to remove the necessary apparel, revealing the bloody, angry looking wounds. He wasn't sure what to do next, so he left the boy to grab a few towels and some clean water, knowing they would be needed at some point.

Rayla returned shortly after with the confused Healer trailing behind her. When she saw who, or more precisely _what_ her patient was, she paused, giving them a critical and cautious eye.

"Why am I treating a human?"

A panicked look passed between Rayla and Ethari before she blurted out the only half believable excuse she could think of.

"He saved me! From an ambush. Out in the forest. I, uh, owe him. A life for a life." She said quickly. A tense, pregnant atmosphere filled the room as the seconds passed, and she prayed the Healer would believe her.

The Healer's outward expressions showed her internal conflict to help a human, but much like Ethari her devotion to helping others soon wore her down. Leaving the boy skewered through wouldn't sit well with her. She let out a frustrated groan before retrieving her instruments from her satchel and barking orders to the other two clueless elves in the room. They scurried around, grabbing requested items while the Healer reached for the arrow in her patient's shoulder.

"Let's see what we can do."

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It was well into the evening now. The Healer did all she could and the human was given a guarded prognosis. She gave detailed instructions to Ethari regarding wound care, leaving him some supplies to change out the dressings and medicines to stave off infection, though nothing was guaranteed. With the recommendation to lay him in a bed opposed to a sofa, they moved him to Rayla's room to recover, both agreeing it was safer to keep him hidden away on the upstairs floor for now.

Ethari tended to the human, sponge bathing him and washing his remaining articles of clothing while Rayla cleaned up the living area and eventually, herself. It felt divinely refreshing to wash off all the grime and blood from the last few hours.

With an exhausted sigh, Rayla fell face first onto the couch. "Oh, sweet cushions…" She muttered, her voice muffled by the soft pillows. A few minutes passed and she heard movement on the floor above her. She listened quietly, tracking Ethari's familiar footsteps as he walked from her room to the washroom and back. It was then this strange situation had only started to sink in for her.

Not once in her life did she ever think she'd see a human so deep within Xadia, never mind find one carrying such precious cargo. Rayla looked over at the egg that still remained in the pack on the chair opposite her. With great effort, she forced herself up and retrieved it before sitting back down on the couch. Criss-crossing her legs, she placed the pack in her lap and opened it, gently peeling the fabric away from the egg. She carefully raised it and discarded the bag on the floor before resting it in her lap once again.

It was beautiful and warm.

Gently, she tapped it with her knuckles, surprised at how thick the shell was despite its porcelain appearance. This earned a tiny shake from the egg and an astonished smile split her face. Allowing herself to relax, she curled herself around it, holding it to her chest in a comforting embrace.

A whirlwind of memories suddenly filled her head, bringing an onslaught of emotions with them. The day her parents left for the Dragon Guard all those years ago; her mother's eyes brimming with tears as she hugged her daughter unknowingly for the last time. Then, the ache in Rayla's chest years later after she found out about their cowardly, unforgivable actions in abandoning the egg, leading to its believed destruction.

She had loved her parents with all her heart, but she didn't understand. How could they do such a thing? Now, here _she_ was, cradling the very same egg they failed to protect.

This little life…it was going to change everything. It _had_ to.

"Don't worry little one," she spoke softly, "we'll protect you."

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The following morning Rayla woke up to a quiet house. It wasn't uncommon, as Ethari often left early in the morning to go to his workshop, but she was surprised he didn't wake her first what with the unconventional guest upstairs.

She wandered into the kitchen where a she spotted a note, written in Ethari's clean handwriting.

_Rayla,_

_I'll be picking a few things up from the market after I finish at the shop. I changed the dressings on our guest, who has yet to wake up. Watch over him until I return. _

_If he does wake up while I am out, __be __nice__. _

She rolled her eyes, annoyed that she could hear his chiding tone in the words. _Yeah, yeah…_

She went about her morning routine as usual, with the annoying exception of checking on the unconscious human every so often. She busied herself with household responsibilities; fetching clean drinking water, tending to the hens out back, and preparing herbs from the garden.

By the time midday rolled around, Rayla made her way to the sofa for a well deserved break. When she sat down, her heel knocked something, sending it sliding under the couch. With a groan she slid off the cushions and onto her knees to inspect what she kicked. Reaching unpleasantly far back she gripped the object, realizing it was the human's deflated pack. She forgot she threw it on the ground the night before.

She thumbed the material, noting the foreign designs threaded into the fabric. "It might be best to put this with him. Don't want to make anyone suspicious if they see it lyin' around."

Grabbing the egg, she carried both it and the bag up the stairs, not feeling comfortable leaving the precious thing out of her sight. Entering her room, it was the same scene as the last time she checked in. The half-dressed, bandaged boy lay unmoving in her bed, completely unaware of her presence.

Rayla set the egg down on a plushy chair—her _favorite_ chair—in the corner of the room before walking over to the human, bag in hand. She observed him for a moment, watching his chest rise and fall at a slow even pace. The bandages wrapped around his torso appeared like a shirt, covering the majority of his bare chest. His bottom half, while clothed, was covered by a blanket.

She noticed the subtle, glossy sheen of sweat on his forehead and sighed, dropping the bag on the floor. Wetting a cloth in a pail of cool water resting on the nightstand, she began dabbing away the moisture.

_Humans are so fragile_.

While wiping his face she couldn't help but take in his features. The lack of horns, rounded ears, skin free of any markings—it was so…_weird._ She had seen humans before, of course, but never had so much time to study their physical appearance. Her eyes trailed down his arm to his hand, quirking a brow at that fifth, tiny,_ useless_ finger.

After a long, scrutinizing stare down with the extra digit, her curiosity became too great and she reached for his hand to better inspect it. She laid her hand atop his, her eyes flicking to his face for any signs he was stirring. When he remained asleep, she gingerly turned his palm face up, holding her own hand up to mirror his. She compared the two, completely baffled by this 'superiority complex' humans seemed to have about how 5 fingers were better than 4.

Suddenly his fingers twitched, startling Rayla. She dropped his hand as if it burned her and jumped back, now on high alert. She waited a few seconds, expecting his eyes to pop open or for him to spring up and attack her or something.

Of course, nothing happened. Her shoulders fell and she sighed, berating herself for being so jumpy.

"Calm down, Rayla. He's too injured to try anything anyway." She said, calming herself.

Preparing to take a seat on a small stool at the bedside, she accidentally kicked something again. She looked down, glaring at the offending object she had hit twice now.

_Damn bag._

She picked it up roughly, jostling its contents. It emitted a sort of _thumpy-clinky _sound and she paused, now interested in what was inside. Reaching in the flaccid sack she pulled out a small leather pouch. The way it jingled she assumed it was a coin purse of some kind. She tossed it on the bed and reached back in for the only other thing she could feel, and pulled out a thick book.

Tossing the bag against the wall and _out_ of kicking range, she flipped the book over and opened it up. To her surprise it wasn't a storybook or even a diary. Rather, it was a sketchbook filled with hundreds of drawings. Her eyebrows rose at the level of detail in each one, and she could hardly believe this _kid_ was the one who made them.

In the beginning of the book there were many portraits of all kinds of humans, but one child in particular filled up the majority of the pages. There were a few drawings of what looked like a village and many different kinds of animals, some of which she had never seen before.

Rayla flipped to the more recent sketches when a portrait of an elf caught her eye. The pleasant candor of the subject confused her. Did this elf pose for him? The next few pages contained a few runes and hurried notes talking about the Sky Arcanum. _How did he learn sky magic? Who was this boy?_

Thumbing through the final sketches, she saw something that actually made her chuckle. Drawings of Xadian fruits with the words 'edible' and 'inedible' beside them littered the page, while on the following page was a detailed sketch of a Flatulilly with the words '_Evil! Do __not__ sniff or disturb' _scrawled underneath it.

With her curiosity satiated for the time being, Rayla closed the book softly and set it beside the coin purse. She glanced between the human and gleaming dragon egg, conflicting emotions rising within her.

_He said they want peace but…is that even possible? With everything that's happened…_

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the mattress and her head in her hands solemnly.

"How can we trust you?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Authors Note:** I struggled so much to write this chapter, but am decently happy with how it turned out. It was hard to keep the lore dump detailed but brief. How do writers do it? Anyway, please leave me a comment in the reviews if you have any notes on this chapter specifically, so I can better improve others in the future!

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**Chapter 3.**

Callum's mind reeled as he returned to the waking world. Soft, echoey voices slowly roused him out of his slumber, their distant words growing clearer and louder as the seconds passed. He opened his eyes gradually, finding it difficult to see clearly through the muck on his lashes. When he went to wipe the residue away, his arm screamed in protest. The sudden explosive pain was overwhelming and he screwed his eyes closed, groaning loudly through gritted teeth.

"—he's awake!" A voice shouted. Hurried footsteps rushed to his side. Callum felt a warm hand on his shoulder that firmly held him down.

"Hey—don't move, you're injured! It's alright, just try 'n keep still."

Tentatively, he followed the voices command and tried to identify and relax the muscles in his body. After a short moment of careful breathing, the pain began to subside and he started to settle. He opened his eyes again and they quickly widened upon seeing two elves standing beside him, blinking at him down curiously. A slight panic washed over him and his heart raced. All he could do was stare silently at them as a few tense seconds passed.

The elf closest to him was tall and slender, had dark skin with short snow-white hair and thin, complex markings running down the sides of his face. He looked at Callum with what looked to be a little shock, but also genuine concern. The second elf was shorter, younger, and just as slim, with fair skin, white hair, and piercing violet eyes. She sported facial markings too, though hers were much simpler, starting just beneath her eyes and falling over her high cheek bones.

They both had similar dark horns resting atop their heads, though both pairs were identifiably unique to each other. The intricate clothing they sported Callum could only describe as _elven_ in appearance, it being far more detailed than anything he'd seen in Katolis or any of the human lands.

When neither elf made to speak or to attack him, he took a fleeting glance at the space they occupied. He was in a cabin like room that looked well lived in with typical furnishings found in a home. Different kinds of trinkets, fabrics, and curios littered the walls, shelves and surfaces of larger furniture. It was strange, but something about its unconventional coziness eased his mind ever so slightly. It sort of reminded him of the Banther Lodge, but smaller and with a more Xadian flair.

"Uh…hello there." Callum's attention snapped back to the tall elf. His accent was thick and his tone friendly. "My name is Ethari—and this is Rayla. You were wounded badly in a fight. Can you remember what happened to you? Who you are?"

A quiet moment passed as the elf's—_Ethari's_ words sunk in and Callum blinked a few times, trying to remember. He rested his uninjured arm across his stomach, feeling the bandages underneath his fingers.

_Something was there...inside me, but…_

Suddenly a flood of memories filled the temporary holes in his mind and it all came back to him. Entering Xadia, scavenging for food—_the egg._

"Is it safe? Where's the egg?" He blurted out, his voice sounding foreign to his ears.

_It had to be okay, right? It had to be alive. _

"Yes, its alright. It's just over there." Ethari spoke and jabbed a thumb in the corner of the room behind him. Callum released a breath when he saw it sitting upright, nestled in a blanket on a chair looking vibrant and healthy.

_Thank goodness._

Everything he had gone through hadn't been for nothing.

"Well? You gonna favor us with some answers?" The girl—Rayla, asked him curtly. Ethari glanced at her disapprovingly before turning his attention back to Callum, exercising more patience but obviously just as curious as her.

His fingers grazed the bandages around his torso, feeling the tight wrappings that compressed his aching side. Every slight movement sent waves of pain through his body, and although he was alive, he knew there was no way to escape these elves, no matter how much he wanted to. He wasn't scared so much for his own life, as it appeared that they _did_ saved him, but he had no idea what they were capable of; if he could trust them.

Although, the first hurtle of revealing the egg to them didn't end with him being attacked, unlike his previous attempt with that Sunfire elf. That had to be a slightly good sign, right? They were at least willing to hear him out. Seeing no other options, he decided to speak with them honestly.

"We wanted to return the egg. To right a wrong and return peace to the lands." He said, unsure of where his thoughts were going. He tried to start with the last thing he remembered.

"After I crossed into Xadia, I realized I couldn't get the egg home by myself and that I'd have to find help. Eventually I did find someone, a Sunfire elf. But before I could even explain myself, he attacked me. I ended up collapsing and…I guess that's where you showed up." Callum gestured to Ethari, vaguely remembering someone who looked like him. "Thank you for saving me."

Ethari quirked a confused brow and Rayla scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. "Uh, wrong. That was me. _I_ saved your butt _and_ the egg." She said pointedly.

Callum blinked, a little surprised, but was grateful nonetheless. "Oh. Well, thank _you_ for saving me. Er, _us_." Before he could speak again, he felt a pang in his gut that was immediately followed by a gurgling squidgy sound. Ethari smiled sympathetically.

"We should get you something to eat before we carry on. Rayla, can you fetch him some stew and bread?"

The girl's face and shoulders fell in annoyance, but she turned and exited the bedroom without another word. Ethari turned back to Callum. "Do you think you can sit up? We'll prop you up so you are more comfortable."

He nodded, allowing the elf to help him slowly and carefully move into a sitting position on the bed. His body screamed the entire time and he let out an audible cry, but the pain subsided quickly once he was seated upright.

By the time he was comfortable, Rayla returned with a wooden bowl and a small chunk of bread for him. Using the nightstand as a table, he set the bowl down and slowly spooned the warm substance into his mouth, occasionally dipping pieces of bread in the delicious liquid. As he ate, the elves took a seat; Ethari sitting on a small stool at the bedside while Rayla made herself a comfortable spot on the bed, careful not to jostle him.

"As you can imagine, we have many questions for you. Shall we start with your name?" Ethari began.

"Right." Callum hurriedly wiped the stew droplets from his lips and bowed his head as best he could, just like King Harrow taught him to do all those years ago. "My name is Prince Callum of Katolis."

Lifting his head he immediately saw the flash of surprise on Ethari's face. A chuckle sounded from the end of the bed and he turned to see Rayla stifling a laugh with her hand.

"Sorry, I just—I never would've guessed. You weren't lookin' very _'prince-like'_ when I found you."

Callum frowned at her ability to find humor in what was such a dire situation for him, but chose to bite his tongue. He didn't really have the energy to fire back with some sarcastic remark, nor did he want to start an argument. While she composed herself, Ethari spoke again, his expression becoming more serious.

"If I'm not mistaken, Katolis's ruler is the one who brought down Avizandum, correct?"

The room's atmosphere quickly shifted and a mournful aura hung over their heads. Callum tensed and looked down at his food while he spoke. "If you mean the Dragon King, then yes. My step-father...King Harrow was the one who killed him."

A long silence fell over the room and he could feel their scrutinizing stare on him for his King's actions. Though it wasn't his fault, sitting before these elves he felt solely responsible for all of humanities blunderings.

Ethari opened and closed his mouth once, twice, trying to find his next words. "So, the egg," he finally said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, "we thought it was destroyed. How'd you come upon it?"

"My brother discovered it by accident deep within the castle, after—" Callum paused unintentionally, but pushed through his hesitation, "—after King Harrow was murdered." Though he had accepted the loss of his step-father, he had only acknowledged it out loud once before, right after it happened. He was the one that told Ez, after all.

"He was killed? How?" Rayla asked, straightening herself. Callum looked back at his food, unable to meet their eyes.

"He was assassinated. By Moonshadow elves, actually. None were captured, so we don't know who they were."

Callum wasn't an idiot. He knew the two elves in front of him were Moonshadow elves. He didn't want to accuse them directly, especially after they saved him, but…he did wonder if they were involved in any way. "Do either of you know anything about that?"

Ethari gave Rayla a questioning look, seemingly waiting for her to give up some information, which Callum found strange. She placed her thumb and forefinger on her chin in thought.

"Runaan never mentioned anything to me about doin' something like that. And the guild hasn't been called on for a few months. Did he say anything to you?" She asked Ethari, who simply shook his head no.

"Who's Runaan? And what guild?" Callum asked, confused.

"Runaan is my husband. He and Rayla are a part of the assassins guild for our village, but it doesn't seem like they have any connection to the attack on your king."

Callum raised his eyebrows, looking skeptically at the young elf girl sitting casually just a few feet away. _You've got to be kidding. She's an assassin? _

Noting his expression, she rolled her eyes and waved a dismissive hand. "Calm down, I'm not gonna kill ya. Not unless you give me a reason to." She added flatly, earning her a smack the arm from Ethari.

"Although I don't condone the actions of your King, I'm sorry for your loss Prince Callum. Any death, no matter who's it is, shouldn't be taken lightly." Ethari said solemnly. The sincerity in his voice surprised Callum, and he nodded his appreciation.

"Thank you. I'm sorry for what humans have done, too. And please, you don't have to use my title. I just use it for introduction."

Ethari offered him a pleasant smile, one which Callum found strangely welcoming in this foreign land.

"Alright, so…you found the egg. What then? How'd it get there?" Rayla piped up.

"When King Harrow slayed the Dragon King, Viren—Katolis's high mage, was with him. When they returned, Viren claimed him and his egg were destroyed, but now it's obvious that was a lie. We think Viren stole it and planned on using it for dark magic, but we weren't sure. It was my younger brother Ezran's idea to return the egg home, and I agreed. With our dad gone and the discovery of the egg, Ez assumed the thrown to do what he could in Katolis and prevent an all-out war, while I tried to get the egg back to its mom."

The two elves listened to him intently, captured by this new information. As he expounded, he thought of how his family got involved in the war to begin with.

"Our mother was killed by the Dragon King on a raid in Xadia when I was a kid. Years later, my step-dad killed him in the name of vengeance. And now, he's been killed by the elves." He paused, clenching his fists in his lap. "We're stuck in an endless cycle of revenge and we have been for hundreds of years. But now," he glanced over at the small dragon egg across the room, his expression softening, "we have a chance at peace. Or at the least…a chance to make things right."

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For now, the elves were willing to help him. But before anything could be done, Callum needed to heal. They couldn't rush blindly forward into Xadia's harsh environment with an injured human straggling behind. They hadn't formulated any plan past his rehabilitation, deciding it best not to overwhelm the tired boy.

As the night wore on and the house quieted down, Callum couldn't help the wandering of his mind. Though it happened days ago according to Ethari, the memory of bleeding out in the forest was fresh in his mind. The way the puddle of red pooled beneath him as he sat beneath the tree. The feeling of blood seeping out of him; warm at first, then cool when his soaked clothes made contact with his skin. The most hopeless feeling that clenched his heart when he thought he would never see his little brother again…

He felt hot tears prick at his eyes just like before and he swallowed tightly, trying to hold them back.

_I'm fine, I'm alive! God, Callum, calm down. You'll get to see Ez again in no time!_

He tried convincing himself of that truth, hoping the small pep talk would snap him out of his depressive reverie. But the more he thought about Ez growing up without him, the more guilty he felt for getting so close to death in the first place, and the tears started to flow. Callum had to be smarter next time. _Safer._ He was exceptionally lucky in being rescued and Xadia wouldn't be so kind to him again, he was sure of it.

A soft knock pulled his teary eyes to the doorway where Rayla was standing holding a steaming mug in her hand. With an uncomfortable and stiff expression, she made her way over to his bedside. Callum wiped at his cheeks and groaned through the excruciating pain to sit up. At least the pain gave him something else to focus on that weren't thoughts of leaving Ez alone in the world.

Rayla took a seat on the stool beside him, sparing a fleeting glance at the egg before focusing on Callum.

"Are your injuries hurtin' you that badly?" She asked, holding the mug in her lap with both hands. Callum sensed her discomfort at his sudden emotional outburst but tried to ignore it.

"No. I mean, yeah—they hurt, but that's not why…" …_I'm crying like an idiot, _his brain finished for him.

Rayla remained quiet and he wasn't sure if she was waiting for him to continue his thought or if she just didn't know what to say. Probably both.

"I just..." Callum paused, sniffed, and sighed. "Just miss my brother. A lot."

He watched her nod at his short explanation before she looked down at the mug, swirling its contents. "Well, there's not much we can do about that, but…here." She extended the mug to him. "It's medicine. It's pretty bitter, so it's loaded with honey to cut it. It might keep you up for a while, but it'll help with the pain at least."

Callum blinked at her, surprised she didn't say a single snarky remark. Taking the mug, the smell of its sweet contents wafted into his nose. Tentatively, he took a sip of the warm liquid and his watery eyes widened at its deliciousness.

"Wow. Give my compliments to the chef." He said, feeling his spirits lifting slightly.

Rayla smiled the first genuine smile Callum had seen since meeting her, and he soon found it to be contagious.

"The chef gladly accepts your complements, Sad Prince."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4. **

The suns rays gently danced across the purple horizon as Rayla awoke the following day. Clad in her comfy sleepwear she rose from her makeshift bed on the couch and raised her arms high above her head in a satisfying stretch. Soft sounds drew her attention and she tiredly shuffled her way across the dim house where she found Ethari preparing himself a cup of tea in their small, modest kitchen. It was typical to find him here, starting his day by lamp light before the sun had fully risen.

"Mornin'." She announced herself while slumping in a chair at the small dining table. He glanced at her, chuckling lightheartedly at her disheveled appearance before offering a greeting of his own.

"Judging by the wild state of your hair, I'd say you must have slept pretty well." He openly teased and set a steaming mug on the table for her. She sent him an unamused glare but took the beverage, carefully sipping on the hot floral liquid. Returning to the counter Ethari poured himself a cup and soon joined his adopted daughter at the table. The two sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes until Rayla felt the tea's energizing properties begin to take effect.

"How long will you be at the workshop today?" She asked curiously.

"Until dark, I'm afraid. With our guest here, I've fallen quite behind on a few specialty orders. Do you think you can manage to look after Callum until I return? He'll be needin' a dressin' change today. And you'll need to give him a few light meals—however much he can stomach. And his sheets should be changed out too."

Rayla's face fell flat and she let out an annoyed groan.

"When did we become his maids…" She muttered quietly, swirling the little bit of liquid left in her drink.

"Oh don't give me that, you're the one who brought 'em here. That means we _both_ get to deal with the consequences it brings and handle responsibilities accordingly." Ethari retorted firmly, earning a scowl from the girl. Though he was never one to point fingers or shame her, she couldn't help the small pang of guilt that clenched her heart.

She knew Ethari had been giving his all in caring for the Prince, even putting off his livelihood for a few days to do so. And if they weren't careful, it might begin to look suspicious with him being away from his workshop so often. Any attention, even a visit by well-intentioned villager or neighbor could jeopardize them and the human they were concealing.

"Sorry," she sighed softly, "I just didn't expect him to be so…weak, I guess."

"You think so? I'd say he's quite strong to have gotten this far on his own, all things considered." He said matter-of-factly.

Rayla rested her chin in her hand, not so sure she'd agree. Considering the state she found the Prince in, and the constant care he required in the days that followed, Rayla definitely didn't have much confidence in his capabilities.

"However, his strength will truly be put to the test when Runaan returns." Ethari said, the worry evident in his tone. "You realize we have at most nine days until then."

Rayla looked long and hard at the tabletop, strands of hair falling forward and tickling her cheeks. She held the mug to her mouth, resting the rim of the cup on her bottom lip in contemplation. She knew exactly how little time they had until Runaan returned. Nine days was a stretch; it would probably be closer to six or seven.

"We'll just show him the egg. He'll understand when he sees it."

"You know he won't be that compassionate, Rayla. The grudge he holds against humans won't be subdued so easily." He said with a shake of his head. Rayla frowned, her voice rising in defense.

"But Ethari, he can't hold _this_ human, a _child_, accountable for all of humanities actions against Xadia—especially not when he pleas for peace. Not to mention he is _returning_ the egg! Runaan would be a fool to destroy such an opportunity."

She stared her guardian down, violet eyes unwavering. She didn't like humans all that much, but even she knew how unjustified it would be if the Prince was killed without provocation. He can't be held accountable for the actions of his king no more than she could be held accountable for what her parents did.

"You're right, it would be foolish." He said in a calm voice, surprising her slightly. "If peace is to come between elves and humans—if we are to end this war—then the egg must be returned by humans and elves, together. That boy mustn't be harmed."

Her face softened at his understanding, his words giving her some semblance of hope. A part of her found it strange that she could so readily defend the boy, despite Xadia's history with humans. But the option of peace…and _righting a wrong_ as the Prince had said…that was a true uphold of justice that Rayla couldn't deny.

After a moment, Ethari rubbed his face tiredly, leaning back in his chair in thought. "We should come up with a plan—a way to best explain this whole thing to Runaan so there is as little damage done as possible. I don't want anyone gettin' hurt, and I certainly don't want my house to be destroyed like the last time you and Runaan got into an argument."

Rayla rolled her eyes, combing her fingers absentmindedly through her hair. "Hey, he was the one who tore up the living room, not me." Ethari smacked his forehead with his palm as she innocently finished the rest of her tea.

:

:

As the day wore on and Rayla finished with her morning chores, she prepared the Princes' second meal of the day; stew and bread.

"Uh, it smells good, but I'm not really that hungry." He muttered as she placed the food on the nightstand for him. She rolled her eyes at his excuse; that's what he said about breakfast too, and he only ate about two spoonfuls of broth then.

"C'mon," she began, placing a frustrated hand on her hip, "you need to eat if you want to heal."

"I know, I just…," his green eyes danced between her, his blanketed lap, and the wooden bowl apprehensively, "…I don't really have an appetite. Food sounds really gross for some reason. And I'm kind of afraid that if I throw up, well…that'd just really suck, you know?" He looked down at his wrapped abdomen, slight fear taking over his features. "I can't imagine what vomiting would feel like..."

Rayla felt her shoulders fall involuntarily upon seeing his worried expression. The way he held himself upright and hunched forward, compensating for his injuries—he looked absolutely pitiful. Her frustration slowly crumbled, replacing itself with the tiniest of growing sympathies, and she hated it. Her hand slipped off of her hip and a soft sigh passed between her lips.

"Fine. You don't have to eat _right _away. Just try to eat somethin' in the next two hours."

The Prince gave a short sigh of relief and Rayla walked across the room to the dragon egg nestled in her favorite fluffy chair. It glowed bright and she smiled at its healthy appearance. It amazed her how the tiny creature could evoke such happiness in her, and it hadn't even hatched yet. Pulling up a stool she settled beside it, captivated by the precious life resting on the cushion.

"What are you doing?" The boy's question broke her peaceful reverie.

"What does it look like, Prince? I'm guarding the egg." She didn't spare him a glance in hopes that her annoyed tone spoke for itself. But of course, it didn't.

"Oh. Isn't that a bit overkill? I mean, two of the three people who know its whereabouts are in this room. It's not like someone's going to break in and take it, right? It's like, 100% safe here. Or, at least…66% safe, since Ethari isn't here. It still feels like it's 100% safe though."

Her brow twitched and she wondered how she felt any sympathy for this kid moments ago. If he was _so_ injured, how did he have the energy to run his mouth?

"It doesn't matter how 'safe' it is. You can never be too careful."

Everything this egg had been through…all because her parents ran away. It had been placed in so much danger in its short time on this earth and she'd be damned if she let anything happen to it again. She wouldn't fail where her parents had. Even if it was relatively safe in her home, she wouldn't risk anything happening to it.

"Yeah I guess, but why waste your energy watching over it when there isn't any danger?"

She let out a huff looking upwards at the ceiling, locks of hair falling backward over her shoulders. This wasn't a topic she wanted to get into right now, if _ever_ with him. But if he wanted to talk, she'd have to make it worth her while, too.

"Hey, I got a question for you." Her abrupt turnaround caught him slightly by surprise. She turned atop the stool to face him, pulled her leg up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around it to keep it in place. "How'd you use that lightnin' spell out in the forest? It wasn't dark magic and you don't have a primal stone. So, how'd you do it?" Her tone was quite accusatory, but that didn't seem to phase him.

"Oh, I connected to the Sky Arcanum. That's how I can do magic." He said simply with a stupid smile plastered on his face. Rayla stared blankly at him, unsure if he was messing with her or just being plain dumb.

"Humans can't connect to Arcanums."

"That's what Lujanne said!" He shouted back annoyed, waving his left arm in the air. Rayla blinked at his sudden outburst, finding it strange to see him so animated.

"Riiight. Who's Lujanne?"

"She's an evil elf who fed me grubs and I will never forgive her for that." He muttered bitterly, huffing before continuing. "And, she's also a moon mage who guards the Moon Nexus. I ran into her while I was traveling. She taught me about Arcanums and the flow of magic. She told me everything she knew about Sky magic, which wasn't a whole lot, but it was helpful in the end."

Rayla recalled the candid drawing of an elf she saw in his sketchbook a few days ago and she couldn't help but wonder if that was who he was referring to.

"So, this mage helped you connect to the Sky Arcanum then?"

"Oh no, not at all." Callum said matter-of-factly. "That happened a little while later after this crazy fever dream I had."

Rayla quirked a disbelieving brow, well confused now. "You're telling me you connected to an Arcanum after you had a dream?" She watched him nod his head quickly before raising his hand in front of him.

"Yeah. And now, I can do this."

Waving a pointed finger, a blue glowing rune appeared rivaling the brightness of the egg beside her. Speaking a simple incantation, he exhaled a breath and a small whirlwind of air whipped around the room, ruffling her hair and the many trinkets and tapestries that hung on the walls. Once the air stilled, she stared wide eyed at him, the only sound being a few loose papers fluttering to the floor.

"I only know two spells; that one and the lightning spell. I guess I won't show it to you now though, not in here, at least." He said, a playful smile on his face.

She snapped out of her astonishment, sending him a flat look. "Yeah, don't blow up my room." He let out a nervous laugh, looking anywhere else but at her. At least he seemed to understand how much trouble he'd be in if he messed with any of her stuff.

Although he seemed very...incapable of many things, it was undoubtedly incredible to see this boy perform pure sky magic without the aid of a Primal Stone. Rayla wasn't skilled in magic like other elves, but even she knew how impossible it was for a human to connect to an Arcanum. To see that this one was able to do so...

_What does this mean?_

:

:

"Don't pull so hard, Rayla—_Ow_!" Callum flinched away from her when she peeled off the remaining gauze on his abdomen, exposing the stitched wound to the open air.

"There, last one." She said, throwing the dirty bandages in a bucket on the floor. The Prince let out a relieved sigh and his body visibly relaxed.

"I don't know why taking them off hurts so bad." He asked, pushing his hair out of his eyes.

"Well, there's some dried blood and gunk on the bandages. Makes sense that it sticks to your skin after a while when it has nowhere else to go." Rayla offered him an explanation while wetting a cloth in warm water and handing it too him. "Here. Clean up your front. I'll get your back."

Callum took the cloth, giving her a look of revulsion at her blunt statement. "That's disgusting."

"What? That's why it hurts. Don't tell me you're _that_ squeamish. It's your own blood for heaven's sake!" She said, carefully wiping around the wound on his shoulder. _I'm the one who should be grossed out by this._

"I know, but…you didn't have to say it like that." He muttered while hesitantly dabbing his stomach.

Rayla frowned at his weak psyche, not understanding the boy at all. Surely being a prince, he would have learned how to fight and hunt, earning him plenty of scrapes and contusions over the years that needed immediate treatment. Being shot by arrows was a little…intense, she supposed, but he had to have his share of bloody accidents growing up, right? She sure did, being raised as an assassin.

After finishing up his shoulder, she moved to his lower back to address the second arrows entry wound. She realized while she cleaned up the area, however, that there were no other scars or marks on his skin, apart from the two already there. She glanced at his arms—well, the parts she could see from behind—and noticed they were free of visible injury too. And she didn't remember seeing any scars on his face or hands either.

She was beginning to wonder if it was _because _he was a prince that his skin was free of any kind of blemishes. With him being apart of a royal family, it made sense that he would have access to the best healers in the country. Or maybe he was sheltered growing up?

"You done yet?" His asked, his voice snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, yeah." She placed her rag on the nightstand and reached for a jar of salve. "Okay, lets get this on and wrap you back up—"

"Wait! Can I see myself in the mirror first? I want to see how bad my back is, if that's alright." Callum spoke quickly, glancing at her over his shoulder. She rolled her eyes, but agreed, understanding his curiosity.

Helping him to his feet by supporting his arm, she walked him slowly down the hall to the washroom. She let go of him temporarily to open a curtain, allowing light to flood in through the window and illuminate the small space. The Prince leaned forward looking into the mirror, eyes widening at his appearance and a hand immediately went to his hair to comb through the brown locks.

"Geez, why didn't you tell me my hair looked like this. It's a mess!" He said, combing through the more unruly parts. Rayla didn't really get what he meant, as she had never seen it look any other way. He played with it for a while, trying—and failing—to get it to cooperate. She leaned against the wall behind him, folding her arms across her chest impatiently.

"Do you mind moving it along, Prince? I haven't got all day." Watching him style his hair wasn't something she particularly wanted to waste her time on. She still had plenty of other chores to finish.

Eventually, Callum lowered his hands and began inspecting the rest of his body. He turned around slowly, gingerly craning his neck to get a good look at his backside. He stared at the injuries, poking around them gently with his hand as best he could. He was completely engulfed in his task until his eyes flicked up and caught Rayla's stare in the mirror. After a few silent seconds passed and he hadn't looked away, she quirked a questioning brow at his weird behavior. "What?"

"Can you, uh, _not_ stare at me? It's a little uncomfortable…" He said awkwardly through the mirror, but her gaze remained fixed.

"What's the big deal? It's nothin' I haven't seen before." _Why is he being such a prude all of a sudden? _

"Yeah, but it's—," he paused, eyebrows suddenly furrowing. "Hang on. What do you mean?"

Surely, he couldn't be so dim...

"You _do_ know you've been here for five days, right? Three of which you were unconscious for. Ethari and I looked after you in shifts changing your bandages. You even got a bath the night we found you."

Callum whipped his head around to face her, exclaiming loudly. "You—you _bathed_ me?!"

"Yeah?" She said unfazed, not understanding what the big deal was. "You _reeked_. And you were covered in blood. There was no way I was going to let you sleep in my bed like that."

His cheeks flushed all of a sudden, and he wrapped his arms around his bare torso in a poor attempt to cover his modesty. "Did you—um…you know…," He struggled, sputtering out an incomprehensible sentence.

"Did I _what_? Hurry up and spit it out." She demanded. He looked everywhere else except at her, his eyes flitting about the room nervously.

"Did you, you know…see…anything?"

After a long and confused pause, it finally clicked and his awkward stuttering and flushed appearance suddenly made sense. A roar of laughter escaped her; she couldn't help it! Grabbing her sides she doubled over, trying to contain the merry fit that overtook her.

"What's so funny!?" He asked, growing more flustered by the second. "Did you see anything or didn't you?"

"No!" She started, a bubbling laugh escaping now and then. "I didn't see anything. _Ethari_ gave you a bath, not me."

She heard him breathe a sigh of relief and mutter a quick and quiet, _oh thank god, _as she collected herself. "What's the big deal? You hidin' something I should know about?" She joked, unable to hold back the snide remark.

"You're horrible, you know that?" He said flatly, his embarrassment filling him to the brim. Deciding to leave her in her own sick enjoyment, Callum started for her bedroom, moving slowly. He made it a quarter of the way before Rayla caught up to him, her laughter contained to an occasional chuckle and a very cheeky smile.

"Here, let me help you. You're gonna fall." She reached for his elbow to keep him stable, but he quickly pulled his arm away, leaning on the wall for support instead. He sent her a venomous glare but his pink cheeks drastically downplayed his ire.

"Aw, is the poor Prince too embarrassed to even be touched? C'mon, it's just body talk—nothin' to be ashamed of." She said through a teasing grin, waggling her eyebrows. Taking care of this human may not be so insufferable if she could elicit more reactions like this.

The Prince looked ahead, blatantly ignoring the helping hand she offered and continued struggling against the wall. "You're such a perv…" he muttered, and she gave him a wry smile in return.

Rayla couldn't remember the last time an insult made her feel so satisfied.


End file.
